Spring is in the air

I got home from work 45 minutes early today for reasons I won't bother to go into, but it meant I could get a run in before I taught a private lesson. I was so stoked to run. It was finally sunny and finally in the 60s. Woooo-hoooo!

My enthusiasm was a little dashed when I realized that my Garmin was almost out of juice. In fact it lasted about 2.5 miles before it died. I'm still not sure how that happened. I had just charged it.

I thought I'd try to get 3 miles in and I'd have been happy with that because I kind of overdid it a couple of days ago. I'd aggravated a muscle, tendon or ligament in my hip at yoga class and still decided to finish my run even when I started to feel a twinge with every step.

So today it was still a bit tender and I wasn't sure what it would do when I actually began to run. I had a feeling before I started -- even with the hip issues -- that today was going to be good. The weather was just too perfect.

I started by running the first mile with no walk break and felt good. I took a 30 second walk break after the first mile and then ran even faster the 2nd mile. The Garmin died during mile 3 but I had planned ahead and brought another watch. I'm not positive about times, but I think I ran Mile 3 in 10 minutes and Mile 4, well that was more a cooldown mile and that was about 10:45 with a 30 second walk break.

I was happy with the times too even though my heart rate was high again.

All in all -- AWESOME. It's amazing what a spring day can do.

Lap 1: 10:40
Lap 2: 10:33
Lap 3: 10 (approx.)
Lap 4: 10:40 (approx.)

Ave. HR/Max HRt
Lap 1: 165/175
Lap 2: 171/178
Lap 3: 172/178 (only half-mile before garmin died)
Lap 4: no garmin

Go figure

I was really looking to run yesterday but by the time I got home, I was dragging. I forced myself to go out. I'm ready for warmer temps, but 40 wasn't hateful.

My heart rate as I've mentioned before skyrockets when I run regardless of how slowly I run. So yesterday I decided I was just going to run and not worry about heart rates. So I started a bit too quickly and within a quarter mile could feel my heart rate was way too high. So I took a 10 second walk break.

I took another 30 second walk break at the end of the first mile and after the second mile. I was pretty happy with the times, especially with the walk breaks included, but these hearts rates are through the roof.

Here's what's really weird though: When I try to run slower to keep my heart rate somewhat lower, my RHR in the morning has been like 10 bpm higher. So yesterday I ran with a way too high heart rate and tonight I'm sitting in a chair with a heart rate that is much lower than it's been even upon waking. Go figure.

Lap 1: 10:43
Lap 2: 10:37
Lap 3: 10:45

Ave heart rate/max heart rate
Lap 1: 165/173
Lap 2: 169/175
Lap 3: 171/177

Running on empty

I really need to start eating better. I ran 3 miles yesterday and felt like crap the whole way. I took the 1-minute walk breaks at .5 and 1.0 plus 2.0. Still my heart rate went way too high. It's a little tough to run well when you're running on a steady diet of chocolate, sugar, Diet Coke and some fast food.

I know all the right things to do -- I know how to eat better; I just don't know how to make it happen. I feel totally addicted to Diet Coke and sugar. It doesn't help that most of my eating happens at the office - stress easting.

Any suggestions?

Lap 1: 11:21; 163 ave. hrt rate; 174 max heart rate
Lap 2: 10:52; 169 ave. hrt rate; 175 max heart rate
Lap 3: 10:49; 171 ave hrt rate; 181 Max hrt rate

Heart rates and walk breaks

So I talked with an exercise physiologist about my heart rate the other day. He suggested I go out when the weather breaks and do a max heart rate test by running a couple of easy miles, then do an 800 meter run with all-out effort the last 200 meters. Then walk for 5 to 7 minutes and repeat. The heart rate at the end of each 800 should be close to each other and that will be my max heart rate. He thinks my heart rate may be higher than anyone has suggested and that's why I train in the 160s. I'll give it a try soon.

I tried a couple of walk breaks on my last run (Sunday). Went 4 miles and took a 1-minute walk break after a half-mile then again after another half and then after each full mile from then on. I felt better than I have recently, but that could also be because I'm trying to eat a little better. We'll see after my next run or two how it goes.

Interesting thing, though, even with the walk breaks, my time stayed pretty much where it's been.
I'm not a big fan of walk breaks -- I hate starting back up again, but if it keeps my heart rate in better check and allows me to run longer distances, I'll work with it

Lap 1: 11:35
Lap 2: 11:05
Lap 3: 11:04
Lap 4: 11:14

Working at it

I ran 2 miles Wednesday but hit the wrong button when I started the Garmin, so no heart rate info for the first mile. And even though I wently slowly the second mile, the heart rate numbers were no better. How frustrating.

We've had 14-plus inches of snow since Friday morning along with blizzard conditions. It's finally stopped and thank goodness it's March, so we know the snow won't stay long. I am SO glad this happened in early March rather than January.

Today (Saturday), I opted to ride the spinner at home -- everyplace else was closed and there was no running obviously. I did 50 minutes and worked up a nice sweat.

Here's the thing: My heart rate never got higher than 130 -- even after 50 minutes of spinning at 85 to 90 cadence. Yet when I run, my heart rate jumps to 155 in the first 2 minutes even if I run an 11:30 or 12-minute mile. This is crazy. I returned to running -- after an 8-year absence -- two years ago, so I know it's not about waiting for my body to adjust to running. The cardiologist offers no explanation (all the tests are normal), so I keep trying to work it out on my own.

I realize I might have a higher heart rate than the average (even though my RHR is usually 60), but my max would have to be like 200 for me to stay within my training zones. And I'm all but sure that isn't happening.

Well, I'll just keep working at it and trying to go slowly to slow my heart rate. And I'll keep riding the bike at a really low heart rate to build more aerobic capacity.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

A long way to go

So I ran Feb. 23, the first run since the cardiologist. I ran with my new intention of running at no more than 154 bpm (85% MHR) and to walk anytime I reached 155 bpm. It was entirely frustrating -- jog (slowly) a quarter mile, heart rate monitor rings and I walk for a minute or so down to 125 bpm. Jog slowly for a quarter mile, heart rate monitor rings, and I was for a minute or so. Up and down, up and down. My Garmin heart rate chart looks like the spikes in one of those heart monitor machines in the hospital.

I figured I would just have to be patient and give it a month to see if there was any improvement. Then I talked with one of the ChiRunning master instructors who suggested setting the heart rate monitor for 165 and to slow down but not stop when the heart monitor alarm sounded. I couldn't imagine that I could run much slower than I already was, but still I was game to try.

My run on Sunday went pretty well. I was able to keep my heart rate at 165 or lower the entire 2.5 miles (I know that's not far, but I need to concentrate on the heart rate before I can focus on more miles). My pace slowed by about a minute a mile this way, but maybe this will work after all. I ran again on Monday but decided not to take the heart rate monitor and try to "feel" my heart rate and when it went over the top.

Hope to get a run in tomorrow but questionable. If not then, I'll have to wait until Sunday because of work and travel.



Sunday
Lap 1: 11:47
Lap 2: 11:41
Lap 3: 05:41 (.5 mile)
Total 2.5 miles
Ave. pace 11:46
Ave. heart rate 161


Monday
Lap 1: 11:12
Lap 2: 11:01
Lap 3: 6:00 (.5 miles)
Total 2.5 miles
Ave pace 11:10
Ave. heart rate (ran without monitor)

Missing In Action

Wow, it's been such a long time since I blogged last. So much has been going on -- a trip to California, family medical stuff, and more. Suffice to say I've been a bit preoccupied with more than running. And let me just say Alzheimer's is one mean disease.

Back to running news...so I've been putting off this entry for a while, waiting to see a cardiologist. The problem is that for years my heart rate wants to spike as soon as I started jogging like from 115 bpm to 150 in 30 to 60 seconds -- and we're talking a slooow jog here. So I had a series of tests in the summer and when they were all clear and the issue didn't go away, I decided to see a cardiologist. I should mention this high heart rate has been going on for years but it didn't make much difference because I wasn't running up until 2 years ago. I kept expecting the heart rate to drop the more I ran and the fitter I became, but no luck.


A couple of other notes: It only happens running, not when I bike or swim. My resting heart rate is between 55 and 60. My heart rate never comes down and slowly increases to 173 or so even with a 10:30 mile. I never feel like I'm having heart palpitations. My max heart rate is about 176 we think, which is a little higher than the 220-age etc.

So the cardiologist says the problem is...he has no idea. He can't figure out why that would happen. Bottom line though is that running long periods anaerobically can cause the heart wall to thicken (not a good thing). So what about a marathon? Not recommended.


So my plan is this: I'm going to back way off my mileage and do 2 runs a week of 2 to 4 miles at a nice slow pace and not worry about my heart rate. The other two runs, I'm setting my Garmin to notify me if I exceed 155 bpm and then I'll walk until it comes back down. I figure I'll try this for a month or two and see if I can change this pattern.


This does not make me happy. But the good news is nothing is wrong with my heart. Anyone ever heart of such a thing? Any ideas?